Sunday, March 8, 2009

Budget Living

Did anyone ever get the magazine "Budget Living"? It was a greeeat mag that came out a while back (my Mom and I got it when I was in highschool...'97-'01), and for some sad, sad reason, they cancelled it. It wasn't just a 'budget' magazine (that would be far too boring for 'ol k.fountain), it was a pretty artsy, and most of the time, kitchy magazine with lots of different crafty ideas centered around home improvement/decorating. They also had some great travel ideas (I remember them having a recommendation to stay at Cindy Wilson from the B-52's "motel" which was a totally awesome colorland of imagination...from the pictures, at least). Almost like a ReadyMade magazine, but kitchier and less pretentious. I don't know why I find ReadyMade pretentious. It's probably not. OK, enough explanation for you?

The moral of the story, is that I want to show you the book I bought a few years later, and have kept around for when I need a few ideas...many of the homes featured in the book were later featured in Domino magazine. There are soooo many great ideas in this book, and lots of them are centered around the idea that paint is the decorator's best friend, which is always a good mindset if you ask me.

Here is the home of Rob Pruitt and Jonathan Horowitz. I've definitely seen their home in other magazines, and you probably have too. Their home has suuuuch an Edgar Allan Poe vibe, which is both awesome and hilarious at the same time. I mean, they picked a theme for their gothic mansion, and went with it. The picture I am showing you here (click to make it larger) is them laying on their "blood" pool carpet. Hilarious, no? There are other parts of their home featured in the book as well, including their crazy-colorful porch (magenta colored ceilings?) and gun-covered den table. I definitely suggest google-imaging their house, or just picking up a copy of the book!

Here is another room I love. Sorry for the hard to see images here...

Anyway, I love the grasscloth covered walls and the giant orange lamp! I think the lamp really makes the room here. I like the way the designer has hung the artwork as well. Lots to love in this bedroom.

Lastly (though almost every room featured in this book is great), look at this stinkin' awesome living room. It's a nod to the '60's, and anything and everything from this era makes me smile. The 50's American-made wooden chest with added green ceramic knobs makes my heart flutter, folks. Sooo beautiful. I also love the drippy orange 70's lamp with giant shade.

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So, did anyone else ever get Budget Living, or does anyone else have a love for this book like me? It even features the ever-so-popular-at-the-moment "idea" to take an old chair, paint it, and reupholster the seat (we've all seen the chair makeovers design*sponge has been featuring...and I love each and every one of 'em!)!

6 comments:

I know! It's a total bummer. I really need to go to Barnes and Noble or some place, and figure out what I'm going to start getting since Domino is going to be non-existent. :( Maybe I'll just stick to the blogs? Eh, I like magazines!

This comment is 2 years late, but I am just discovering your blog, which I ADORE!!! Anyway, I also adored Budget Living and had every single issue...until Hurricane Katrina! Since then I've tried scrambling eBay and other places to get them all back and I STILL in 2011, refer back to the ones I was able to snag. It was the greatest, and I still have some old issues of Domino which is a little pretentious, but still worth keeping around. Emphasis on the word 'BUDGET' in Budget Living is why it was so awesome. Wonder if the book is still available?